Gwynn
Gwynn (or Gwyn)Dancer's Lament, Chapter 12, US HC p.235 was an Avowed mage in the First Company of the Crimson Guard. He was part of Skinner's bodyguard of mages. He was described as a bald, severe looking man with a goatee and gold earrings, who dressed in a black tunic, sash, and trousers.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 1, UK PB p.572Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 3, UK PB p.643 In Return of the Crimson Guard At the end of the Diaspora he returned to Fortress Haven on Stratem with Skinner.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 1 Chapter 4,UK PB p.189 Afterwards, the entire reunited Guard now under command of Skinner invaded Unta, the Malazan imperial capital, before challenging the Malazan armies on Quon Tali at the Battle of the Plains. There, Gwynn fought alongside Skinner as one of his guard of Avowed mages.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 1, UK PB p.572 Ultimately, Gwynn left Skinner's faction and remained loyal to K'azz D'Avore. He joined Nil, Nether, and Smoky in a failed attack on Yathengar 'ul Amal in an attempt to stop the insane mage's Chaos rent.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 3, UK PB p.644 In Blood and Bone (Information needed) In Assail Gwynn travelled to Assail as part of Shimmer's expedition to find Cal-Brinn and the lost Fourth Company. He survived the battle against the mages, Geth and Lurnan Sharr, that claimed so many of his comrades, but lost his right eye in the process.Assail (novel), Chapter 9 In Dancer's Lament Before the Vow and before the war with the Malazan Empire, Gwyn of Lammath was part of the D'Avore family's legendary mercenary company, the Crimson Guard. Well known for their opposition to the Talian hegemony, the Guard was commanded by K'azz's father, Courian D'Avore.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 2, US HC p.55Dancer's Lament, Chapter 12, US HC p.230/232 Silk, city mage of Li Heng, noted that Gwyn belonged to the Guard's cadre of mages, which was second to none. In Kellanved's Reach During one period of Gwynn's tenure with the Crimson Guard, he was assigned to a lengthy tour of duty at the isolated Crimson Guard fortress, the Red Fort, which was located deep in the Great Fenn Range in the north of Quon Tali. One day Gwynn 'felt' an unexpected stranger nearing the fort. The stranger turned out to be Ullara, from Li Heng, who was travelling northward for her own purposes and had been unaware of the nearness of the Red Fort until she was intercepted by Seth, the fort's commander, who had been alerted of her approach by Gwynn. Seth convinced Ullara to spent the night at the fort, and so accompanied her there. Ullara met a number of the Crimson Guardsmen and Guardswomen who were relaxing in the Commons area of the fortress, where she met and was welcomed by Gwynn. Sitting across from Gwynn as she ate a warm meal, Ullara was able to tell that Gwynn had a "powerful aura" and she realized that he was a mage.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 16, US TPB p.248-250 Gwynn took it upon himself to take Ullara under his wing for the rest of her stay at the fort, which lasted far longer than one night. Much against the better judgment and advice of Gwynn, and the fury and unhappiness of Ullara, Seth and the other Guard members felt that they could not allow Ullara to continue on her journey, as they strongly believed that doing so would be the "equivalent of murder by negligence".Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 16, US TPB p.251-252 During her enforced stay at the fort, Ullara was taught by Gwynn to read and write - skills at which Ullara proved to be an eager student, astonishing Gwynn with the speed at which she advanced. However, as time passed, Ullara began to pine and to lose her appetite not only for food, but also for life in general - much to Gwynn's increasing distress.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 19, US TPB p.289 Eventually, Gwynn decided to take matters into his own hands and came to Ullara one night and completely outfitted her with all kinds of warm clothing and other essential supplies. The mage then took Ullara to an outside door and watched her as she continued on her long-delayed journey northward. Ullara had thanked Gwynn profusely - at a loss at how she could possibly repay him. Gwynn had replied that she could thank him "by surviving".Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 19, US TPB p.290-291 Upon Gwynn's return to the main section of the fort, he encountered a furious Seth who claimed that the mage's actions had "sent the girl to her death" and that Gwynn was "no better than a murderer". Gwynn tried to explain that - due to his multiple readings of the Deck of Dragons - he had become convinced that Ullara had a "Fate"...a "Wyrd" and should never had been prevented from following it. Nevertheless, Seth decided to put Gwynn under house arrest until the mage could be taken to Courian D'Avore for judgment. Seth was determined to see Gwynn dismissed dishonourably from the Guard. Gwynn, however, was sure that Cal-Brinn, a fellow mage and the chief advisor of Courian D'Avore, would support him and his decision to let Ullara proceed along her way.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 19, US TPB p.292 History Gwynn had been born into a life of wealth and privilege in Unta. His upbringing had included the best tutors and schools and, as a youth, he should have been able to look forward to a future filled with promising prospects. However, due to an unspecified "youthful foolishness", Gwynn found himself exiled from Unta. He became a great wanderer who even visited Seven Cities - which was at the time semi-mythological to most Quon Talians. At some point in his peripatetic roaming, Gwynn - still a young man - decided to join the Crimson Guard under the command of Courian D'Avore. Gwynn did this after presumably having been being exposed to a certain amount of military and magical training and/or experience.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 19, US TPB p.290/292 Notes and references Category:Avowed Category:Mages Category:Males Category:Crimson Guard members Category:Quon Talians